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Make sure you get what you paid for!

Eek Skywalker
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Eek Skywalker Contributor

Eek Skywalker

Posted
Posted

Hello all,

just a bit of advice. I sent my R33 in for a wheel alignment, balance and rotation the other day at Fulcrum in Brisbane on the southside. The wheel balance and alignment was done, but they did not rotate the wheels. I rang and asked why they did not do them, and the reply was "the technician decided it was better for the best wheels to be at the front. This is standard policy". This is not what I asked for. I specifically asked twice for the wheels to be rotated. I paid for a wheel rotation and balance - it should have been done. At the least they should have called me about this instead of making a presumption. Fulcrum were good enough to offer me a free wheel alignment next time I go there (if I go there again) when I complained about this. So just make sure if you are dealing with these people to check they have done what you have asked and paid for.

A question: Why should the better wheels (with more tread left on them) be at the front of the car? For better grip during cornering? Because the skyline is rear wheel drive, I thought It would be better to have more grip at the rear to keep traction, and better power delivery (and cause it wears the tyres out more quickly at the rear).

Thanks,

Eek

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Lenno Enthusiast

Lenno

Posted
Posted

this is why i never leave my car anywhere unattended while work is gettin done, just hang out of old mates pocket and question everything they dotouch, *** em.....if im pain good money, oh and i never let anyone drive her without me, except the girl, she drives it every day....i musta got the short straw there....

lenno

akeenan Grand Master

akeenan

Posted
Posted
This is full of bull.  

Fact one - best tyres should be at the back ALWAYS. Promotes understeer not oversteer.  

Fact two - different sized f/r wheels should NOT be rotated.  

T.

i thought this as well. however the car steers with the front id prefer to have more tread on the front. Ive been told from a usually relaible source that more tread on the fron is better.

rb26dett, my thoughts exactly

skyr33 Contributor

skyr33

Posted
Posted

In my opinion,provided the tires are the same size, the best tires should be at the front.

1.Most of the weight of the car is on the front axle-more load on the front tires.

2.Consider where your priority lies- good take-offs with better tires at the back or being able to pull-up in time instead of aquaplanning on the bald tires in rainy weather.

I think Fulcrum tech did the right thing by leaving the good tires at the front.Of course they should have let you know,of course they should't have charged you for wheel rotation but thats another story.

T0nyGTSt Grand Master

T0nyGTSt

Posted
Posted

Dave hits it right there.

Most people can react to understeer without any knowledge - LIGHT braking and ease off the power.

However many people can react to oversteer?

Steer opposite to what you instinctively KNOW and keep the power down? This amplified by FWD cars that have savage lift-off oversteer properties.

This is for people who have no training other than what they learn from their mums and dads...

The 'new tyres on the back' is the advice given to people who have say 50% tyres but can only afford two new tyres.

T.

jlnewton Grand Master

jlnewton

Posted
Posted

Good tyres to the front always. Much prefer to have steering/brake control than not have the brain power to control my right foot. Even the effectiveness of ABS is severly diminished if you are aquaplaining. And currently owning a reasonably quick RWD car, and a reasonably quick FWD car, there is definately a requirement to have good tyres, especially at the front. Its is even more pronounced in a FWD car. Besides, why argue with Fulcrum. I would never take my car there as I think all of their gear, especially labour, is overpriced, but they do know their stuff. They still should have consulted with you though.

Eek Skywalker Contributor

Eek Skywalker

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Whoa, heaps of replies! I didn't know what was best for the tyres - to be on front or rear, that's why I asked. My wheels are all the same size, and the tyres currently on the front have slightly less grip than the back - not talking brand new on the back and worn at the front.

Well I took the car for a wheel alignment and balance cuase i had bad vibration over 120km/hr. Guess what? It's still there. It's violent between 120-130km/h. I've noticed that at 120km/h it vibrates through the steering wheel. 130km/h, the vibration in the steering wheel is less, but the console (where the radio a/c is) shakes like hell. At 140km/h, the vibration moves to the drive shaft/rear i think. Any ideas on what this could be?

Cheers,

Eek

Beeble Community Regular

Beeble

Posted
Posted

same problem! on the freeway all is well, but accelerate to just over 120 and the steering wheel shakes. seems to go away above about 140. sent it in for wheel balance (it was aligned 2 months ago with no difference) and absolutely NO change. it's not that bad, just noticeable, and annoying in what is otherwise a smooooth car to drive.

grrrr.....

jlnewton Grand Master

jlnewton

Posted
Posted

Eek Skywalker - Notice you are from Brisvegas. I have to recommend the guys from Bob-Jane Toombul. They are the first guys to give me a decent alignment/wheel balance in years. I got the full treatment last time when I got my new tyres and it feels great. The best thing for me was, the wheel allignment. As I have fully adjustable suspension they set it to the settings I asked for, amazing! It could be your rotors though or also, I have had problems with certain brands of tyres being seemingly impossible to balance. Try another balance first though, its the cheapest.

Bleach1 Proficient

Bleach1

Posted
Posted

The wheels with the best tread should always be at the front. Its industry practice and a safety thing more than anything. Steering and braking are done on the front wheels so thats where you want your grip to be. Most people dont have to worry about oversteer because the dont drive hard enough to force the car to oversteer.

Obviously if they are different sizes front/rear you leave them.

rs73 Grand Master

rs73

Posted
Posted

All cars are actually engineered to understeer a little bit. This promotes the best chance of a head-on collision where the crumple zones will be most effective. A car that has tendency to oversteer will be very dangerous in event of a crash as side intrusion bar will not be as good a shock absorbant as your whole front engine bay/boot crumple zones.

How many times you've seen a car wraped in a pole and injured the occupant badly? Compare it to frontal hit where ppl inside would probably has minor injury or bruises from seatbelts only.

Of course if you had a frontal hit at 200km/h you hardly stand a chance anyway, so drive carefully and it'll never happens. <>

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